Car-coupling



(No Model.) V J. SHANAMAN.

GAR GOUPLING.

couplings.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN SHANAMAN, OF ANNVILLE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JONAS L. KNOLL, OF LE BANON, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLlNG.

SPECIPICATION formng part of Letters Patent No. 295,588, dated March 25, 1884. Application filed February 9, 1884. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it) may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN SHANAMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Annville, in the county of Lebanon and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car Couplings, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1- is a top view of one end of two carframes having my coupling attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is an end view of one of the car-frames and Fig. 4 is a. perspeotive view of the draw-head-carrying plates. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the draw-head and operating-rod thereof.

My invention relates to automatic car-couplings; and the objects of my invention are to. provide a draw-head with alink rigidly attached thereto, having its front edge in a vertical plane, and carrying a hook projecting sidewise through the opening in said link, as

' will be hereinafter described, and the invention specifically set forth in the olaims.

In the drawings, A represents what I designate as the lower frame of a freight-car, having the transvrse sill A and the longitudinal string-pieces A of usual form. To the under side of the latter are seoured two stirrup-plates, a, made of flat iron bars, having their middle portion bent downward to receive the ends of the draw-bar supporting platos a and a The middle portion of these plates is made wider than their ends, and shoulders a* are in this manner produced thereon to retain the plates a a centrally be tween the stirrup-plates a. The inner plate, a is perforated centrally at a to receive the inner end, d, of the draw-head bolt D, while the central portion of the plate a is provided with a slot, a, to allow the draw-head passing therethrough to have some lateral play while beingcoupled or uncoupled. The front of the draw-head is made of a plate, D, standing with its front edge vertically, but rounded or bent to one side at cl, and its central portion removed or provided with a slot, D having its longest dimensions vertically; or, in other words, the form of the draw-head front plate resembles the letter D, and through its central opening the hook D projects laterally, This hook is made integral with the draw-head bo1t and its front plate, and is made strong enough to draw a train of cars while interfront plate of the draw-head is of sufficient size to receive the book D projeoting from said car is heavily loaded or is empty. r

To uncouple cars provided with my coupling, an e'yebolt or rod, F, is connected with or made to receive the draw-head bolt, and

said rod is retained in suitable guides, f, paralle] with the sill A, and an expansive wire spring, f coiled upon the rod F, having one end abutting against the car-frame and the other against the shoulder or enlarged portion f, has a tendency to force the draw-head plate D of one coupling sidewise against its mate upon the adjoining car. On the,right hand side of Fig. 1 the spring f upon the rod F is a retractve spring, and operates to draw the draw-head toward its mate.

To'uncouple two cars after their bumpers have been brought close together, there is pivoted to the transverse sill A at g a vertical handlever, Gr, to the lower end of which is pivoted at g a flat rod, g the extremity of which bears against the side of the draw-bolt D, so that by pulling upon the handle Gr, or the upper portion of the lover G toward the side of the car, one of the draw-head hooks,

,55L locked with the vertical plate of a similar draw-head projectig from the end of another the draw-head of the adjoining car, whether D is forced away and disconnected from the plate or vertical link D of the companion draw-head, To retain the draw-head in this uncoupled position, there is pivoted at 9 to the upper portion of the 1ever G a light rod,

g, upon the under side whereof a transverse groove or notch, g is formed, adapted to come in engagement with the.end of a latch-- plate, d', secnred to the frame of the car, so that the cars can be conpled or uncoupled without requiring the brakeman to pass be tween them. If the brakeman is standing upon the sill A, he can release the rod g* from the latch-plate d by simply lifting said rod a very short distance With his foot, if desired.

Having now fully described my invention, I claim 1. A car draw-head bolt, D, having integral ,therewith a plate, D, provided with a vertical slot, D and a hook, D projecting through said slot,substantially as andfor the purpose described.

2. The combination of a draw-head b0lt, its vertically-slotted draw-plate, and hook projecting through the side of said draw-plate, With the eyebolt F and spring thereon, sub stantially as and for the purpose described.

JOHN SHANAMAN.

\Vitn esses J ONAS L. KN0LL, E. E. 1\IASSON. 

